1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to quinoline derivatives and quinazoline derivatives which have antitumor activity. More particularly, the present invention relates to quinoline derivatives and quinazoline derivatives which have inhibitory activity against the autophosphorylation of hepatocyte growth factor receptors and have inhibitory activity against abnormal cell proliferation or cell movement.
2. Background Art
Growth factors such as epithelial growth factors, platelet-derived growth factors, insulin-like growth factors, and hepatocyte growth factors (hereinafter abbreviated to “HGF”) play an important role in cell proliferation. Among others, HGF is known to be involved, as a liver regenerating factor and a kidney regenerating factor, in the regeneration of damaged liver and kidney (Oncogenesis, 3, 27 (1992)).
However, the overexpression of HGF and a receptor thereof (hereinafter abbreviated to “met”) is reported to be found in various tumors such as brain tumors, lung cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, renal cancer, and prostate cancer (Oncology Reports, 5, 1013 (1998)). In particular, in gastric cancer, excessive development of met and an increase in HGF level of serum mainly in scirrhous gastric cancers are reported (Int. J. Cancer, 55, 72, (1993)). Further, it is also known that HGF has angiogenesis activity due to the acceleration of the proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cells (Circulation, 97, 381 (1998), and Clinical Cancer Res., 5, 3695, (1999)) and induces the dispersion and invasion of cells (J Biol Chem, 270, 27780 (1995)). For this reason, HGF-met signals are considered to be involved in the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of various cancer cells.
NK4, a partial peptide of HGF, is reported as an HGF receptor antagonist. For example, it is reported that NK4 inhibits met phosphorylation of various cancer cells and, further, suppresses cell movement and cell invasion and has tumor growth inhibitory activity in in-vivo cancer xenograft models probably through angiogenesis inhibitory activity (Oncogene, 17, 3045 (1998), Cancer Res., 60, 6737 (2000), British J Cancer, 84, 864 (2001), and Int J Cancer, 85, 563 (2000)).
Since, however, NK4 is a peptide, the use of NK4 as a therapeutic agent requires a design regarding reliable stability in vivo, administration method and the like. On the other hand, there is no report on low toxic orally active small molecule compounds having met autophosphorylation inhibitory activity.